fragrant field unto the Lord. I speak not this to perswade any man wilfully to make himself miserable for our Saviour himself hath pronounced it to be A more blessed thing to give then to receive Neither doe I speak to commend or justifie the counterfeit zeal of those that mock the world with a false shew of wilfull poverty whiles shutting themselves up in a Cloister that they may seem to forsake the world they do indeed enjoy it in all superfluity Or at the least the worst of their misery is no more then that which that holy man prayeth for Pro. 30.8 Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me If they have no excesse they are sure to feel no want but to be sufficiently provided for both for back and belly so long as they live there and are they not then very zealous think you in binding themselves to such a misery But my speech is to hearten all those with comfort on whom God hath layd affliction that they may bee so far from impatience as rather to rejoyce in tribulation Rom. 5.3 because it was their Masters common lot and portion for the Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the servant as his Lord. Yea not onely the afflictions of life but death it self and the grave should be welcom and acceptable to us for Christ also hath passed them and by suffering hath sanctified them unto us so that the curse of death is turned into a blessing and the grave is become a bed of rest Rev. 14.13 and that Prophecie Is 11.8 is fulfilled The sucking child shall play upon the holt of the Asp and the weaned child shall put his hand upon the Cockatrice hole There is now no danger to Gods children in the hole of death that is the Grave for death hath lost his sting and cannot hurt us so that we may triumph and say O death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God which hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. In the last place let us learn not onely to admire Christs love to us nor onely to love him again nor only to love those that are like to him in suffering nor onely to love his sufferings themselves but withall to hate sin which was the occasion of his sufferings Sin was the occasion of Christs sufferings for had not Adam sinned Christ had had no cause or need to suffer If therefore wee love him wee cannot chuse but hate that which was to him the occasion of such a miserable life and such a shamefull painfull and cruell death David 2 Sam. 23. being an high Captaine though he longed for the water of Bethleem yet would not tast it when hee had it because it cost his three souldiers the hazard of their lives thathe might have it Much more we being servile souldiers though our soules long for the sweet waters of sin yet should we forbear to tast it because it cost our high Captaine Christ not the hazard but the very loss of his life that we might not have it God shewed Moses a tree wherewith he might make the bitter waters sweet Exo. 15.25 but behold I shew you a tree wherewith ye may make the sweet waters of sin to become bitter Look upon the tree of Christ remember his Cross and the pains he suffered thereon and the false sweetnesse of sin will quickly vanish and ye shall rightly rellish the bitterness of it If the delight of any sinne offer it self unto you cast Christ his Cross into it do but remember his sufferings for sin and all sin will presently grow distastfull For how can it choose but be hatefull to us if we consider how hurtfull it was to him The Jews would not put those thirty peeces into their Treasury because they thought them to bee the price of blood Mat. 27.6 but therein I must say they were deceived for Judas for that money did rather sell himself and his own soul then Christ or Christs blood For Christ was sold before even God had sold him before to death for the sin of man For when in the fall of man the devil offered sin unto God then did God threaten Christ unto him namely That the seed the woman should break the serpents head Gen. 3. And had not Christ been so sold before to death for sin not all the treasure in Jerusalem nor in all the world could have bought him Seeing then that Sin was the true and proper price for which Christ was sold how unworthy are wee the name of Christians yea how much worse are we then Jews if we suffer this price of blood to come into the treasury of our hearts If therefore any motion of pride arise in thy mind answer and tell it thou art the price of blood If any temptation of lust be offered to thine eyes answer and tell it thou art the price of blood If any provocation of anger or revenge be urged to thy hands answer and tell it thou art the price of blood If any greedinesse of gain move thee to wrong or oppression answer and tell it thou art the price of blood And whatsoever sin thou art tempted to answer and tell it thou art the occasion of my Saviours death thou art the price of Christs blood thou mayst not therefore come into the treasury of my heart O blessed Lord and sweet Saviour we do even with astonishment admire thy passing great love towards us we pray thee also by the fervent fire of thy great love that is upon us to kindle in us true love to thee again yea to all that are like thee in thy sufferings yea to thy sufferings themselves that we may patiently bear them whensoever they befall us But make us truly to hate sinne that was the occasion of thy sufferings We beleeve O Lord that by thy blood thou hast washt us from the guilt of sin wee beseech thee also make us more and more effectually find and feele that by thy spirit thou doest purge us from the love of sin that so our consciences may be comforted in all our life and especially in our death and our soules and bodies eternally saved in the life to come by and thorough thy all-sufficient sufferings and satisfactions For which unto thee with the Father and the Holy Ghost three persons one eternall God wee render all possible praise and thanksgiving and desire all honour and glory might and majesty may be ascribed for ever and ever Amen Finis Serm. 2. Trino-uni gloria Per me Gulielmum Gaium Martial At male si recites incipit esse tuus A SERMON preached at the Visitation held at Campden May 4. 1636. Text. JOH 13.17 If ye know these things blessed or happy are ye if ye doe them
giveth her no other Mat. 1.18 Luk. 1.27 12. Q. Doe we then owe her no more honour then so A. Yes we are bound to honour her in praising God for her in reverent estimation and memory of her and imitation of her Virtues and Graces but without any trusting in her or worshipping of her 13. Q. VVhat learn you for practise out of this aforesaid of the third article A. That seeing God hath so honoured my nature as to unite it himself I must take heed of dishonouring it in my self or in others Secondly that I must doe good for evill because to redeem man that would be God God became Man Sect. 13. Of the fourth Article 1. Q. WHat is the fourth Article A. Suffered under Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried And some doe adde to this as part of Christs Humiliation He descended into Hell Others do refer it as part of his Exaltation to the fifth Article 2. Q. How could Christ suffer being God A. He was also man and suffered in his humane nature and so are those places to be understood Act. 20.28 Act. 3.15 1 Cor. 2.8 3. Q. VVho was Pontius Pilate A. The Roman Emperours Deputy Governour Luk. 3.1 4. Q. VVhat doe you gather from that A. That the Scepter being then departed from Judah Christ was the promised Messiah Gen. 49.10 5. Q. VVhat manner of suffering was Christs A. Besides many other he was Crucified 6. Q. VVhat was that A. He was nayled in his hands and feet to a wooden Crosse 7. Q. VVhy did he die this kind of death A. Partly to fulfill the foregone Signs and Figures of him viz. the Heave-offering Exod. 29.28 and the Brasen serpent Joh. 3.14 and partly to undergoe the curse of the Law for us Gal. 3 13. 8. Q. VVas Christs buriall part of his suffering A. Not properly but being part of his Humiliation it is an appurtenance of his suffering 9. Q. VVhat needed his buriall seeing death could not hold him long A. Besides the charitable respect both of dead and living alwaies had of all in use of burying it helped to prove and confirm the truth both of his death and resurrection 10. Q. VVhat is Christs death and buriall to us seeing we dye nevertheless A. It hath taken away the proper nature of death that is cursednesse Hos 13.14 2 Tim. 1.10 and hath turned it into a blessing and the grave into a bed oâ— rest Rev. 14.13 11. How is this interpreted He descended into hell A. Some take it for the locall descension of Christ soul and some for the hellish paines he suffered in thâ— Garden and upon the Crosse 12. Q. VVhat is out of question and of all sides confessed in and concerning this A. That Christ did suffer nothing after his death for at his death he said It is finished Joh. 19.30 and he fulfilled whatsoever was necessary to redeem us 1 Joh. 2.2 Heb. 1.3 11. Q. What doe you gather for practise out of all aforesaid of the fourth Article A. 1. That I must be ready to suffer for Christ whatsoever extremity and under whatsoever authority seeing he so suffered for us Rom. 8.17 Secondly that I must not fear death nor the grave seeing Christ hath taken away the curse and shame thereof Ps 4.8 Thirdly that I must imitate Christs death spiritually Rom. 6.4 1 Cor. 15.31 Sect. 14. Of the fifth Article or next following 1. Q. WHat is the fifth Article or the next following A. The third day he rose again from the dead 2. Q. How could Christ properly be said to rise being dead A. Because it was by his own power being God as well as man 3. Q. What proof is there of his bodies rising A. Besides his many appearances the Jews did prove it by their own lye Mat 28.13 4. Q. What especiall proofs did he himself shew A. His palpablenesse his wounds and his eating Luk. 24.39 c. 5. Q. Was his body then still a natural body A. Yes in respect of substance though spiritual in â—espect of accidents and qualities 1 Cor. 15.44 6. Q. And were his wounds still to be reserved A. Some think so that they shall be for convictioâ— of the wicked at the last day Rev. 1.7 Others think they were but for present purpose to confirm the Disciples as no doubt his eating only was 7. Q. Why did not Christ rise till the third day A. To confirm the truth of his death Mat. 18.16 and to fulfill the Figure foreshewed in Jonah Mat. 12.40 8. Q. What use is now made of Christs rising day A. It is ordained to be our Sabbath as appears both by the use of it Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 16.1 2. and by the name of it Rev. 1.10 For it is plain that Christ rose the first day of the Jews week Mat. 28.1 2. 9. Q. What benefit have we by Christs Resurrection A. We have the first Resurrection taught us and the second warranted us 10. Q. What mean you by the first Resurrection A. The rising of the soul from sin Rev. 20.6 Col. 3.1 11. Q. How is this taught us A. We are baptised into Christ therefore into the similitude of his death and resurrection Rom. 6.3 4. 12. Q. What mean you by the second Resurrection A. The rising again of our bodies from the Grave 13. Q. How is this warranted to us A. Because Christ being our Head and we his Members we are sure to partake of all his benefits and therefore to follow him in the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.12 14. Q. What learn you for practise out of this aforesaid of the fift article A. To feed spiritually and not carnally in the Sacrament because Christs body being still substantial cannot be in many places at once therefore not really in the Sacrament Secondly to use the Sabbath to the honour of the Son of righteousness Mal. 4.2 Thirdly to dye unto sin that I may rise unto righteousnesse Sect. 15. Of the sixth Article or next following 1. Q. WHat is the sixth article or the next following A. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty 2. Q. What mean you by this He ascended into Heaven A. That in his humane nature soul and body he left the earth and went up into that third heaven or Paradise 2 Cor. 12.2 3. Q. How then is that fulfilled Lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world Mat. 28.20 A. He is alwaies present to his by his power providence protection and continuall work of his Spirit 4. Q. When did Christ ascend A. Forty dayes after his resurrection Act. 1.3 5. Q. Why no sooner A. Partly for more proof of his resurrection partly to provide for the setling of his Church in things pertaining to the order and government thereof Act. 1.3 6. Q. How did he ascend A. No doubt in glory and triumph 7. Q. How may that appear A. Partly as it is probable in the attendance of the raised bodies Mat. 27.52 but especially
for that is implyed in asking forgiveness Secondly to forsake them Prov. 28.13 Thirdly to abhor Popish Pardons and Auricular Confession Sect. 29. Of the sixth Petition 1. Q. WHat is the sixth Petition A. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill 2. Q. Is God the author of temptation A. No for God tempteth no man Jam. 1.13 3. Q. How then doth he lead into temptation A. Diversly in respect of the Elect and of the Reprobate 4. Q. How in respect of the Elect A. He doth tempt or try them by suffering them to fall into divers occasions Jam. 1.2 yet so as his grace is still sufficient for them 2 Cor. 12.9 5. Q. Why doth he do this to them whom he loveth A. For their outward probation 1 Pet. 1.7 as in Abraham Gen. 22.1 and in Iob Iob 1. and for their inward confirmation and consolation Rom. 8.28 6. Q. How in respect of the Reprobate A. By withdrawing his grace Exod. 7.3 and by giving them up to their own hearts lusts Rom. 1.24 and to Satans power 2 Thes 2.11 7. Q. Cannot Satan then tempt us without God A. No for he could not touch Iob nor the Swine till he had leave Iob 1.12 Mat. 8.31 8. Q. What is meant by deliver us from evill A. It is the exposition of the former part of the Petition for then he leadeth into temptation when hee doth not deliver from evill 9. Q. Is there deliverance wrought only to and with us A. No but rather in us by both parts of Sanctification viz. Mortification and Vivification which go together Rom. 8.10 10. Q. Is evill then here onely to be taken for sin A. No but also for the author of sin Mat. 13.19 and for the effect or issue of sin that is punishment Am. 3.6 11. Q. What doe you learn for practise out of all aforesaid of the sixth petition A. First to watch for temptations and not to live securely 1 Pet. 5.8 Secondly to put on all the armour of God Eph. 6.11 Thirdly not to trust to my self but to seek and relie on Gods help that strengtheneth me Ps 44.6 Ps 121.1 Phil. 4.13 Sect. 30. Of the Conclusion of the Lords prayer 1. Q. WHat is the Conclusion of the Lords Prayer A. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen 2. Q. Is this any part of the prayer A. Yes 3. Q. How can it be seeing it asketh nothing A. Because it is a thanksgiving which is a kind or species of Prayer 1 Tim. 2.1 4. Q. How can you shew this to be a Thanksgiving A. Because it acknowledgeth and rendereth to God his right and due 5. Q. Have not men also their kingdom power and glory A. Yes but not as God generally properly eternally 6. Q. VVhat mean you by generally A. In and over all creatures the kingdome the power the glory 7. Q. What mean you by properly A. That it is without dependance on any other thing 8. Q. What mean you by eternally A. That in these God hath neither beginning nor ending for ever 9. Q. Is there then nothing herein but thanks giving A. Yes it is also a ground or confirmation of our asking 10. Q. How so A. Because as we begin the prayer with mention of Gods lovingnesse in the name of Father so we conclude with his ablenesse in acknowledging his kingdom power glory 11. Q. VVhat mean you by the word Amen A. It is my setting to my seal in point of beleeving to receive what I ask Joh. 3.33 12. Q. How may this appear A. Because it is a word not onely of wishing but of assurance 2 Cor. 1.20 Rev. 3.14 13. Q. How far may we take assurance in our praiers A. That they shall be heard and granted directly and indirectly 14. Q. How may our prayers be granted indirectly A. By delaying Mat. 15.22 by exchanging 2 Cor. 12.9 by denying I am 4.3 15. Q. What learn you for practise out of all aforesaid of the Conclusion of the Lords Prayer A. First to pray with humility because of Gods greatnesse Secondly to pray with confidence because of Gods ablenesse Thirdly to pray with constancy because of both Sect. 31. Of the Law in generall 1. Q. YOu have set forth Prayer for the prime fruit of Faith and the chief of good works what more fruit hath faith necessary for the proof of it A. Obedience to the Morall Law 2. Q. Why not to the Ceremonial and Judicial Law which the Jews also had A. Because the former being an ordinance of religious service consisting most in Types of Christ was was ended in his coming and the latter being an Ordinance of Politick Government for the Jews Commonwealth is dissolved with it 3. Q. How doe these differ from the Moral Law A. 1. In direction or extent that was for all these but for the Jews 2. In duration that was for ever these but for a time 3. In dignity these yeeld and give place to that Mat. 12.3 4. Q. What then is the Moral Law A. A brief summe of the whole duty of man 5. Q. How can this be the summe of all seeing it is called but ten words Ex. 34.28 Deut. 10.4 A. Though they be but ten words or heads of matter yet they be exceeding large ones Ps 119.96 6. Q. How may the largeness of them appear A. By five rules especially 7. Q. VVhich is the first A. In each Commandement affirmative is contained the contrary negative and in each negative is contained the contrary affirmative Mat. 25.42 8. Q. Which is the second A. When any thing is commanded or forbidden all means or occasions thereto are likewise commanded or forbidden Mat. 5.22 9. Q Which is the third A. The breach of one Commandement is the breach of all Jam. 2.10 10. Q. Which is the fourth A. The Commandements require perfection of obedience inward and outward as Adam before his fall Deut. 6.5 11. Q. Which is the fifth A. In every breach of the Commandements the Accessary is guilty with the Principal 12. Q. How may one man be accessary to anothers sin A. Many wayes especially by furthering and by suffering it 12. Q. May the guiltiness of the accessary acquit the agent A. No for such excuse is vain Gen. 3.12 13. 14. Q. But if a man take occasion of evill from me when indeed it is not properly occasion of evill shall his taking it make me guilty A. No for though David in his humility confesseth the occasioning of the death of the Priests 1 Sam. 22.22 yet he is justified therein Mat. 12.3 15. Q. What learn you for practise out of all aforesaid of the Law A. First to pray open mine eyes that I may see the wonderous things of thy Law Ps 119.18 Secondly to love and delight in every part of it Thirdly to take heed of being partaker of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 Sect. 32. Of the Preface of the Law 1. Q. WHere and how doth the
Morall Law begin A. Exod. 20.1 And God spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage 2. Q. What doe you find in this beginning A. A double Preface one of Moses And God spake all these words saying another of God I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage 3 Q. What do you observe in the former Preface A. Four circumstances 1. The time and or then 2. The Author God 3. The manner of delivery spake 4. The sum all these words 4. Q What observe you in the first circumstance A. That the Law is holy Rom. 7.12 for God was carefull to hallow the people for the receiving of the Law by a great deale of preparation as appeareth chap. 19. 5. Q. What observe you in the second circumstance A. That the Morall Law hath no lesse then Gods own Authority 6. Q. What observe you in the third circumstance A. That God teacheth men especially by the ear 7. Q. VVhat observe you in the fourth circumstance A. That each Commandement hath alike strength and bond upon us 8. Q. Is the second place aforesaid pertaining to the whole Law A. Yes Lev. 19.36 37. 9. Q. Is it not rather the affirmative part of the first Commandement A. No for it commandeth nothing and it is needlesse to expresse both parts by the first of the aforesaid five rules 10. Q. VVhat observe you further in it A. That God presseth the people to obedience by his power I am the Lord and by his love thy God and by their experience of both which have brought thee out of the land of Aegypt 11. Q VVhat is this to us A. The same or as much as it was to them because hee is still the same Lord and our God and hath brought us out of the spirituall Aegypt of sin death hell paganism papism 12. Q. But doth not St. Paul say Rom. 6.14 Yee are not under the Law A. But he expoundeth himself Gal. 3.13 that we are freed from the curse of the Law not from the rule and bond of it Mat. 5.17 13. Q. VVhat learn you for practise out of all aforesaid of the Preface of the Law A. First to prepare my self alwaies to the receiving of God word Secondly to rejoyce in the use of the ear and to abhor imagery in Gods service Deut. 4.12 15. Thirdly to fear the breaking of that which had a glorious ordination Psal 4.4 Sect. 33. Of the first Commandement 1. Q. HOw many Commandements be there A. Ten Ex. 34.28 Deut. 10.4 2. Q. How are they divided A. Into two Tables the former containing our duty to God in the four first precepts the latter containing our duty to our neighbour in the six last precepts 3. Q. How then doth the Romish Church make three precepts in the former Table and seven in the latter A. They do wrongfully confound the two first into one and divide the last into two 4. Q. How may this wrong appear A. 1. Because in that which they make one precept there is distinct different matter viz. First who must be worshipped and secondly how 2. Because the tenth Commandement which they divide runneth in one and the same word and is so summed Rom. 7.7 13.9 3. Because Exod. 20.17 house is put foremost and wife is between house and goods but Deut. 5.21 wife is put first therefore the lust of neither of them alone forbidden can be the ninth Commandement 5. Q. What then is the first Commandement A. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me 6. Q. How many parts be there in this Commandement A. Three 1. A Negative 2. An Affirmative 3. A Reason 7. Q. What is the Negative part A. It forbiddeth our having any false God 8. Q. How may a false God be had A. Outwardly by corporall Idolatry or inwardly by setting up an Idoll in our heart Ezek. 14.3 9. Q Is nothing here forbidden but having of a false God A. Yes all degrees of infidelity and other issues of original corruption in our thoughts of God 10. Q. What is the Affirmative part of this Commandement A. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul c. Deut. 6.5 Mat. 22.37 11. Q. What is the reason hereto belonging A. It is in the words before me because nothing can be behind him nor out of his sight Heb. 4.13 12. Q. What doe you learn for practise out of allaforesaid of the first Commandement A 1. To take heed of joyning any partner with God I must have him solely Is 42.8 2. To take heed of barring God in any thing I am or have he must have me wholly Luk. 14.26 3. To acknowledge his presence alwayes Ps 139.3 Sect. 34. Of the second Commandement 1. Q. WHat is the second Commandement A. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likenesse of any thing c. 2. Q. How many parts be there in this Commandement A. Three a Negative an Affirmative and a Reason 3. Q. What is the Negative part A. It forbiddeth false worshipping of God 4. Q. How is it here exprest A. By the use of Images 5. Q. Is all use of Images then unlawful A. No for skill in such workmanship is of the spirit of God Ex. 31.1 2 3. 6. Q. How far then is the use of Images unlawfull A. The use of any Image as an help in Gods service Hab. 2.18 Is 44.10 and the making or having of any Image or likenesse of God Is 40.18 is unlawful 7. Q. What is the affirmative part of this Commandement A. That we worship God according to his will 8. Q. How is that A. In spirit and truth Joh. 4.24 9. Q. What is the reason here added A. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God 10. Q. How is Gods jealousie expressed A. By punishing the breakers and blessing the keepers of this Law 11. Q. How punishing A. The sinnes of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation 12. Q. How can this be just A. It is here exprest in them that hate me 13. Q. How blessing A. In an unlimitted measure unto thousands in them that love him 14. Q. What learn you for practise out of all aforesaid of the second Commandement A. 1. To abhor Romish bowing to and before Images 2. To worship God after his will and not after mine own will 3. To serve him in fear because of his Justice and in love because of his mercy Sect. 35. Of the third Commandement 1. Q. WHat is the third Commandement A. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vain 2. Q. What are the parts of this Commandement A. A Negative an Affirmative and a Reason 3. Q. What is the Negative part A. Gods name